Permutation-lock



(No Model.)

B. I'. SINGER 8v M.L. DAVIS.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

No. 488,777. Patented Deo. 27, 1892.

INH!!! Inbentws;

BENJAMIN FRANK SINGER AND MILES L. DAVIS, OF LAN OASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,777, dated December 27, 1892.

Application led April 14, 1892. Serial No. 429,143. (No model.) l

To all whom 2115 mrtg/concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SINGER and MILES L. DAvIs,of Lancaster,in the county of Lancaster and State of Penn-Y sylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination-Locks; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full,

' clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in combination locks of that class in which a number of ratchet wheels or tumblers are separately operated, each by a pair of pawls acting in opposite directions, so as to bring certain notches or recesses in their peripheries in line to receive a locking-bar, when the latch or lock-bolt may be readily withdrawn from its catch or holding point.

The object of the invention is to provide simple yet efficient means for securely locking doors, dac., and Aallowing the same to be readily opened, even in the dark, without the use of key to either drive or withdraw the bolt.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism and devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, similar letters of reference designating like parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure l is a plan of a door lock embodyingthe elements of this invention, the backplate having been removed to expose thelock mechanism which is shown in opened or unlocked positions; Fig. 2, a top view of the portion which lies practically below the line a: in Fig. 1, theback-plate having been restored Fig. 3, a reverse plan, partially in horizontal section, of the righthand Vportion of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, aplan of the'central portion of the righthand end of the inner or base-plate, detached'v from Fig. 1, the tumbler-shaft, tumblers and pawls having been removed, and

Yfour pawl-stems appearing in horizontal section; Fig. 5, an elevation from below, of the "-"-.portion which lies above the line y y in Fig.

- 4"4;.Figs- 6, 7 and 8, sectional elevations from the left ofthe central portion of the baseof the line e' z in Fig. 4; and, Figs. 10 and 1l, similar views to Figs. 4 and 5, the parts appearing in locked positions.

A designates the case or framework of the lock, adapted to be secured in position by means of screws passed through the orifices a in the upper and lower side walls of said case; and A represents a circulaichamber orre- Vcess which projects outward from the backplate at the righthand end of said case, and is adapted to receive and house the tubes and springs which guide and control the pawlstems and locking-bar shaft, both ot' which to be hereinafter described.

A plate, B, practically extends over the entire inside of the case and, resting on the inner face of the back-plate, is removably secured thereto by screws b, one of which appears in each angle. This plate forms the base of the invention and is adapted to support all the elements thereof, which are arranged on said plate and may be removed bodily from the case, when required. On the horizontal centerline and projecting from the inner face of the righthand portion of this plate are two perpendicular posts B', each having in its upper end, in the direction of.

said line, a U-shaped recess b', and transversely through said end an orifice b2 to receive a retaining pin, said posts being adapted to support the tumblers yet to be described; extending the'whole way between the posts and on said center line, is a slot- B2, having near its center a circular orice surrounded on the out-er face of the plate, by a cylindrical tube B3 provided diametrically with vertical slots b3, said slot and tube being adapted to receive and guide the locking-bar and its shaft, yet to be described; arranged hexagonally about this shaft orifice as a center are siX smaller orifices, each one surrounded, on the outer face of the plate, by a correspondingly cylindrical tube B4 provided diametrically with vertical slots b4, said oriiioes and tubes being adapted to receive and guide the pawl-stems or shafts yet to be described; projecting from the near side at the front edge of the forward post is a bridge wall B5 provided with an' orifice h5 adapted to receive and guide the projecting end of the lockingbolt yet to be described; in the upper part IOO and projecting from the inner faceof thelefthand portion of the plate are two perpendicular posts or standards B, each having a rectangular orifice h6 adapted to receive and guide the latch-bolt; projecting from the outer face, in the lower part of the forward portion of the plate, is a cylindrical post or column B7,

through which is journaled a T-shapedhandle 57, by means of which the latch is withdrawn or opened on the outside; in the lower lefthand corner and secured to the inner face of the plate is a pin Bl adapted to engage an eye to hold the lower end of a strap-spring actuating the latch in place, whilea shortL distance diagonally forward and upward from i the U-shaped recesses b' ofthe posts B" and securedthereto by pins c passed through the orifices b2 in the -npper ends of said posts; these tumblers, being equal in size, have in their circumferences the same number of equal divisions formed `into ratchet-teeth c' across their peripheries; but in certain of these divisions `are'formed rectangular recesses c2, situated at equal intervals, differing in extent in each tumbler so that no two will be alike, and said ratchet-teeth are adapted to be engaged by the actuating pawls, while.

said recesses are adapted to receivelthe4 locking-bar; washers c3 are secured, one to a side of each of saidv tumblers, their peripheries extending to the base of the ratchet-teeth, to form bridges for the pawls to ride on, over the recesses, c2, in their respective tumblers; collars c4 are placed between the tumblers to keep them apart and allow them to be moved separately, while pin-projections c5 from the shaft keep said collars from turning; and, col'- lars c6 are placed between the end tumblers and the posts to keeplsaid tumblers in place in this direction. A pair of pawls act-nate earch tumbler, D above and D' below, the upper ones by pushing and the lower ones by drawing against their respective ratchetteeth; these pawls have, each one, its rear end pivoted to a stem d resting on the plate B and, extending along said plate to its orifice, has its shaft d passing through said oritice and through its tube B4, to the outside of the chamber A', where its extremity is provided with a push-button d2, the tube being surrounded by a coiled spring D2 covered by a washer d3 held in position on saidfshaft, d', l

by means of a .pin d4 passed .through the shaft, and adapted to move back and forth vin the slot b4, to keep said shaft and pawl from turning; and, the pawls are kept in close contact with the tumblers by means of springs D3, each having its introverted ends in engagement with a pair of pawls. The pawls are here shown pivoted to the stems, d; but these pivot joints may be omitted, and the pawls may have their rear ends rigidly connected to said stems, and their shanks thinned or flattened so as to become resilient or bending, and the spring D3 may also be omitted; and, the shaft orifices are arranged hexagonally on the plate, B, but this is not necessary, for they may be in two parallel straight lines through the plate, and the stems may extend straight' through from the pawls. These constructions embody no new invention and are so evident that their separate illustration was deemed superfluous.

A lock-barE of approved form and strength fills the slot, B2, and has projecting rearward from its extremities lugs e .to'guide saidvbar .as it moves into or out of said slot; across the face and cut into the front edge of this'bar, are recesses e2 to receive the tumblerwashers when said bar is pushedinto the tumbler yrecesses; integral with the lefthand end of this bar is aside projecting lug or arm e3 adapted to move behind the end of the locking-bolt to keep the latch-bolt or lock closed, and to rise above said bolt-end when said latch-bolt or lock is opened; projecting rearwardly and centrally from thefback of this bar and having one end integral therewith, is a shaft e4, which, passing through the central orifice and through its tubeBg, to the outside of the chamber, A', hasits other end provided with a push-button e5, the tube being surrounded by a coiled spring E' ,covered by arwasher e6, secured to the shaft, e4, by means of a pin e7 passed through the shaft, and Aadapted to move back and forth in the slots, b3, of the tube; and, toward one end, in the back of this bar, is formed a recess e',l to receive and hold in place a dead-latch bolt, O, operated through a side of the lock-case, by a handle o, and said bolt is adapted to keep said bar within the tumbler recesses, holding the lock opened.

In line with and extending forwardly from the posts B', and resting on the plate B, is a slide-bolt F, having vertically through its body alongitudinal slot f, through which a flat- /headed screw F serves to secure said bolt to vthe plate, keeping it sidewise in place, and the slotfallowing it to move back and forth; projecting from the lower portion of its rear end, is a rearwardly extending arm or shaft f' adapted to move yfreely back and forth through the guide orifice h, and having a prescribed length has its rear extremity adapted to impinge against the arm e3 of the lock-bar to securely lock or hold the latch-bolt closed; in the forward portion of the lower edge of this bolt are a number ofgear-teeth f2 forming a rack by means of which the engaging teeth of a pinion F2 secured to the inner end of the shaft of the T-shaped handle 57, serve to move said bolt back and forth from the IOO IIO

outside, of course the bar E must be in the position indicated in Figs. tand 5; and, near the forward end, in the upper edge, is a pin f3 adapted to engage a lug or projection from the shaft of the latch-bolt, by means of which said latch-bolt is withdrawn from its catch.

An ordinary latch-bolt G has its shaft g titted into the orifices h6 of the posts B6, and is adapted to rest in, as well as to be moved back and "forth in said orifices; the forward end of this latch-bolt has a widened head g provided with the usual slope allowing it to ride readily into its catch (not shown); Abehind this head is a recess g2, placed into the body of the bolt, to receive and retain the upper or free end of the actuating spring yet to be described; on the under side of this bolt,

leaving "sufficient space to allow the bolt .to move forward the required distance, and rigidly secured to its shaft, or integral therewith, is a cross-beam or bar G', forming side projections, g3 and g4, extending beyond the front and rear edges of said shaft,the rear one g3, being adapted to be engaged by the pin f 3 of the bolt F, by means of which engagement, said bolt F and said latch G, mutually move each other; and, the front one, g4, has attached to its Linder side, a strip or bar G2 provided on its under side with gear-teeth g5, forming a rack by means of which a pinion operated from the inside, serves to withdraw said latch-bolt, independently of the locking device before mentioned.

In the forward portion of the lock-case, is a strap-spring H,having at its lower end an eye h, through which the pin B10 holds said end in place; after passing obliquely upward, in front of the stop-pin b10 which gives it tension, and having its upper or free end in the recess g2 of the latch-bolt G, said spring is adapted to keep said latch-bolt pressed forward, or its head in engagement with its catch.

The entire back of the case, between its upper and lower side walls is covered by a plate I, having its ends resting against the end walls of said case, and its body against the end or head of the column B11, and'secured thereto by a flat-headed screw t', having its shank passed through the plate and screwed into the orifice b thereof; projecting from the back of this plate and at a prescribed point, is a boss 1, having journaled vthrough its center the shaft of a T-shaped handle il', to the inner end of which is affixed a gear-Wheel or pinion 12, whose teeth intermeshing with those of the rack G2, are adapted to move back orwithdraw the latch-bolt from within.

The parts all beingin the several positions indicated in Figs. l and 2, and the spring H having moved the latch-bolt G, and, byreason of the contact of the lug g3 with the pin f3, the bolt F, to the dotted positions, the lock may be readily opened, either from theinside or from the outside by simply turning the handle 127, or the handle c", andthe action of the spring H will always return both latch and bolt to said dotted positions. Now, moving the dead-latch O backward in its recess e', to the position indicatedfin Fig. 10, the action of the spring E (Fig. 2), will move the bar E to the position indicated in Fig. l1, and

of them, now be turned, even to the extent of one ratchet-tooth only, the line of recesses c2 will be broken or moved from the position indicated, and the bar `E with the locking-arm e3 cannot be moved forward to release the bolt F; or, the lock cannot again be openedv from the outside, without first restoring said line ofrecesses 02- to the position in front of and opposite to, the bar E, and best shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it being remembered that the bar E was withdrawn from said recesses, c2, into the slot B2 by its spring E. to these figures, it Vwill be observed that the pawls are all in their normal positions, that is,.having their stems, d, resting against the plate, B; that the upper pawls, D, have their points in position to engage the first ratchettooth behind the vertical center line l, in each figure, while the lower pawls, D', are in position to engage the iirst ratchet-tooth in front of said center line; this-arrangement being necessary to enable one or other pawl of the same wheel to always engage aratc'het-tooth, either above or below in the periphery of said wheel and, that each push upon the button, d2, of each pawl, in the direction indicated by the arrows, 2, will rotate the particular ratchetwheel or tumbler forward, the space of one notch or tooth, in the direction indicated' by the arrows, 3. i Now, considering the tumbler, C (Fig. 6), its position shows, thatwhen a recess c2 is in position to receive the bar E, the pawl D rests in the second notch or tooth from the recess c2 it just passed, hence it follows that when a pawlD is done pushing, having brought a recess e2 to the top or vertical center line, the recess c? in question, will be the space of two ratchet teeth short from the required position to receive the bar E, and the pawl D is required to complete the movement of the tumbler. Again, considering the tumbler C (Fig.

Referring, now,

IOO

IIO

7), its position shows that when a recess c2 is in position to receive the lbar E, the pawl D rests in a recess c2, hence it follows that when the pawl D is done pushing, having brought a recess c2 to the top or vertical center line the recess c2 in question willbe in the position to receive the bar E, and the 'services of the pawl D will not be required. And, considering the tumbler'C2 (Fig. 8), the same 'observations will hold, as in the case of the tumbler C, second before mentioned, except that the pawl D need not be pushed as often, but the pawl D' will have to be pushed twice, as in the case of the tumbler, C.

It remains now only to show how the opening in mind the facts recited in the preceding paragraph, the buttons (Z2 moving the pawls D must be pushed, each one, a number of times equal to the number of ratchet teeth in the interval between the recesses c2 of the tumbler said pawl is to move; and then the buttons d2 moving the pawls D must be pushed, twice for each one of the tumblers O and C2 (Figs. 6 and 8), while the tumbler C (Fig. 7) need not be further moved, it having been brought into position by the pawl D, as previously shown'.

Having now described the invention, what We do .consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a combination-lock, the herein described tumbler, comprising a ratchet-wheel having in its periphery a number of recesses c2 at equal intervals apart, the same number of ratchet-teeth in each of said intervals, and a washer secured to a side of said ratchetwheel, said washer having its periphery at the base of said ratchet teeth; said tumbler adapted to be mounted upon a shaft, and mechanism provided to rotate the tumbler whereby any recess c2 may be broughtto the opening line, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a combination lock, having a frame or case A as described, the base plate B possessin g the following functional elements: the perpendicular posts B and B', VU-shaped recesses b in the upper ends of said posts, orifices b2 transversely through said upper ends, saidposts on lthe horizontal center line, projecting from the inner face in the righthand portion of the plate; the longitudinal slot B2 through the body of the plate, on said center line between said posts, said slot having the central shaft-orifice surrounded by the tube B2. having the slots b3 projecting from the outer face of theplate; the tumbler shaft-orifices through thel body of the plate and surrounded by the tubes Bt1 having the slots b4, said tubes projecting from the outer face of the plate; the bridge-wall B5 having the guide-orifices b5 projecting from the front edge of the forwardpost B and from the inner face of the plate; the perpendicular posts B6 and B6 having the guide orifices h6 projecting from the inner face in the upper left hand portion of the plate; the perpendicular column B7, through the axis of which is journaled the T-shaped handle 57, projecting from the outer face in the lower left hand portion of the plate; the pin B10 and the pin B10 projecting from the lower left hand corner of the plate; the perpendicular column B11 having the screwthreaded orifice 611 in its top, projecting from the inner face in the lower left hand portion of the plate; and means provided on the horizontal center line to hold and `guide a slidebolt in place; said plate and all its contained elements made integral, forming one body tumblers C, Cand C2 as described, the shaft C3 passed through the axes of said tumblers,

the extremities of said shaft in the U-shaped recesses b of said posts and secured thereto by the pins c, the collars c4 and c4 between the tumblers, and the collars. c*i between the end tumblers and the posts, and mechanism provided to rotate said tumblers, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination in a combination lock having a case A as described, with the plate B having the posts B as described, said plate removably securedto within the body ofl the case, and the ratchet tumbler-s0, C' and C2 as described, said tumblers mounted as described upon the shaft C3 supported by the posts B as described, of a pair of pawls to each tumbler, D above and D below, said pawls having their forward ends to engage the ratchet teeth of. the tumblers, and their rear ends pivoted tothe stems dhaving their shafts d passed through the orifices in the plate and through the surrounding tubes B4, the springs D2 surrounding said tubes and secured to said shafts by the washers d3 and the pins d4 passed through the shafts and movable in the slots b4 of the tubes, the

springs D3 having their introverted ends to` press upon the forward ends. of the pawls, and the push-buttons d2 secured to the outer ends of the pawl-shafts d, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination in a combination vlock such as described, having the plate B removably secured in position as shown; the ratchet tumblers C, C and C2 as described, said tumblers mounted upon the shaft C3 supported by the posts B of the plate, and mechanism .provided to rotate the tumblers; and the slot B2 as described through the body of the plate between the posts; with said tumblers, each hav ing the peripheral recesses c2 at equal intervals apart in the same tumbler, said intervals being unequal in the different tumblers, of the locking-bar E in the slot B2, the guide lugs e projecting rearward from the ends .of said bar, the recesses c2 across and in the front edge of said bar, the side-lug e2 having its rear end integral with the front ends of said bar, the shaft e1 having its front end secured to the back kof the bar, saidy shaft passed through` the central orifice and the tube B3 of the plate to the outside of the lock, the pushbutton e5 secured to the end of the shaft, the spring E surrounding the tube B3 and se- ICO cured to the shaft e4 by the Washer e and the scribed our names in the presence of two subpin e7 passed through the shaft, and movable soribng Witnesses. in the slot b3 ofthe tube, and, means provided such as the dead-latch O to hold the bar in KDIXIIER engagement with the recesses c2 of the tumblers as shown, al1 substantially as described Witnesses: and for the purpose set forth. DANL. I-I. HERR,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto sub- Y EDWIN BOQKMYER. 

